JERUSALEM
(AP) -- An Israeli watchdog group is accusing the government of taking
steps to legalize four unauthorized settlement outposts in the West
Bank, days before the U.S. secretary of state is set to arrive on a new
peace mission.

The Israeli government
announced its move this week in a court filing which could cast a shadow
over Secretary John Kerry's visit. Kerry has been shuttling between
Israel and the Palestinians in recent months in hopes of restarting
peace talks.

Negotiations have been frozen for
the past four years, in large part because of Palestinian opposition to
Israeli settlement construction on occupied lands.